SEC Football: Week 9 Power Rankings

While we wait for the titanic clash of Alabama and LSU this coming Saturday, the SEC still had many great matchups during Week 9, including the huge upset of Tennessee by South Carolina. Here are the Week 9 rankings.

Without a doubt the best game in the SEC this past Saturday was the meeting between South Carolina and Tennessee, which resulted in an upset win for the Gamecocks in what will be a huge boost to the program as Will Muschamp has the Gamecocks in line to get to a bowl game.

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This weekend also proved that Auburn is a legitimate threat to Alabama and the Crimson Tide will have to watch out in the Iron Bowl, as the Tigers outlasted Chad Kelly’s record breaking game to get a win over the Ole Miss Rebels.

Here is how the SEC shakes up in the Saturday Blitz Week 9 Power Rankings:

Missouri Tigers

2-6

Last week: L 35-21 KentuckyLast rank: 14

The Missouri Tigers held on the to the bottom spot of the SEC with a horrible home showing against Kentucky.

Missouri’s once good defense continues to flutter as it has in recent weeks. While the offense was able to move the ball at times, the lack of defensive stops kept the offense from being able to catch up in this game. Sitting at 2-6, the Tigers will have to win out to even be bowl eligible; and their next game won’t be an easier as they face a very confident South Carolina team, next Saturday.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

3-5

Last week: W 56-41 SamfordLast rank: 13

Well, the Mississippi State Bulldogs may have given up 41 points to an FCS team, but at least they won the football game.

Nick Fitzgerald had a mostly good game for the Bulldogs; while he did have seven total touchdowns, he also threw two interceptions, but he kept the offense going and never surrendered the lead. However, offense was not the problem for Mississippi State, the defense was. While the Bulldogs do still have a shot to make it to a bowl game, it is awfully hard to believe that this team will be able to compete against the more talented teams in the SEC that they have yet to face.

Kentucky Wildcats

5-3

Last week: W 35-21 MissouriLast rank: 11

Remember when Kentucky was 2-3 and Mark Stoops was headed out the door? Neither does Big Blue Nation.

The Kentucky Wildcats sit at five wins, and are looking at the possibility of becoming bowl eligible for the first time in the Mark Stoops era, and get their first shot to earn that sixth win next week when they face Georgia. Kentucky has been led by Stephen Johnson at quarterback, who has not gotten near enough attention and credit for what he has done for the Wildcats and has really elevated the offense. Overall, he’s done what is needed and minimized his mistakes.

Georgia Bulldogs

4-4

Last week: L 24-10Last rank: 9

Freshman quarterback Jacob Eason hit a wall on Saturday, as he, and the Georgia offense were stymied by the stout Florida defense.

After a hot start, the Georgia Bulldogs are left scratching their heads as they seem to have hit a brick wall of late in games that they have been. The offense has been lackluster at best in most games and the defense has not been able to get necessary stops. Georgia will still have a shot to make it to a bowl game this year, but they definitely won’t be in the SEC Championship game this year.

South Carolina Gamecocks

4-4

Last week: W 24-21 TennesseeLast rank: 12

Does Will Mushchamp finally have a quarterback? Maybe.

Freshman Jake Bentley has been impressive in his first two starts for South Carolina, especially against a team as talented as Tennessee. Hats off to the entire Gamecocks team, they played a heck of a game and garnered a win that they absolutely needed, but weren’t expected to get. While Tennessee has underachieved, they were not expected to lost to South Carolina. This win will go a long way in giving South Carolina a shot at getting to a bowl game this season.

Ole Miss Rebels

3-5

Last week: L 40-29 AuburnLast rank: 8

To say that the season has gone south for the Ole Miss Rebels, would be an understatement at this point.

The Rebels, at this point will be struggling to even make it to a bowl game. Despite Chad Kelly throwing for a school record 465 yards, Auburn was able to capitalize on offense behind the legs of Kamryn Pittway, who rushed for 236 yards in the game. The Ole Miss defense, or lack there of, has continued to be the thorn in the side for Ole Miss as they just cannot get teams off the field and stop them from scoring. The Rebels once promising season has quickly gone down hill, Rebel coaches and fans can only hope that the learning experience for the young defense will pay off in the future.

Tennessee Volunteers

5-3

Last week: L 24-21 South Carolina Last rank: 5

As we now know, the hype was not real for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Three straight losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, and a shocker to South Carolina, have put to bed the expectation that Tennessee was finally ready for the big stage this season. Clearly they are not ready, although there is still a slight possibility of still winning the SEC East. Either way, the hot seat has begun to turn up for Butch Jones, who has continuously not met the expectations for the program and one has to wonder if he is actually the man for this program.

Oct 22, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. The Tigers beat the Razorbacks 56-3. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

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Arkansas Razorbacks

5-3

Last week: Bye WeekLast rank: 6

Arkansas was on a bye week this past week. They stay locked in at the No. 6 spot in our rankings.

Florida Gators

6-1

Last week: W 24-10Last rank: 7

Don’t look now, but the Florida Gators appear to be getting hot.

The Gators offense was great against Georgia, doing everything that they needed to get the win and get it comfortably. The Florida defense is once again, pretty darn scary. Despite their loss to Tennessee earlier in the season, Florida is on its way to the SEC East championship, their toughest conference matchup that remains is against LSU, with a season ending non-conference game against Florida State still ahead as well. As long as Luke Del Rio stays healthy, the Gators offense will do well, and the team as a whole, will be great too.

Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) shakes hands with head coach Ed Orgeron following a touchdown run during the third quarter of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

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LSU Tigers

5-2

Last week: Bye WeekLast rank: 3

LSU was on a bye week this past week, preparing for their SEC West showdown with Alabama this week. The Tigers slide down one spot due to Auburn’s win against Ole Miss.

Oct 29, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Sean White (13) moves in the pocket during the second half of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Auburn won 40-29. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

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Auburn Tigers

6-2

Last week: W 40-29 Ole MissLast rank: 4

There was a time this season when Guz Malzahn was on the hot seat and no one thought any good would come from this team.

Boy, how things change. The Tigers rolled into Oxford, Mississippi and ran the football all over the Ole Miss Rebels, Kamryn Pittway lead the way with 236 yards on the ground. Sean White continued to show poise and looked comfortable in the pocket all night, who wouldn’t against the porous at best, Rebel defense. Auburn has proven that they are a very good and dangerous team, as well as highly underrated team. Alabama will have to be ready when they face the Tigers in the Iron Bowl at the end of the season.

Texas A&M Aggies

7-1

Last week: W 52-10 New Mexico StateLast rank: 2

Texas A&M responded after their blowout loss to Alabama with a resounding thumping of New Mexico State.

Christian Kirk had 2 punt returns for touchdowns as Texas A&M made sure that everyone did not think that they just all of a sudden forgot how to play football, and that they are still one of the best teams in the SEC. The offense, along with Kirk were on fire, and the defense was suffocating as it has been all season. The Aggies will now head to Starkville, Mississippi to take on Mississippi State this Saturday.

Alabama Crimson Tide

8-0

Last week: Bye WeekLast rank: 1

Alabama may have been on their bye week, but they were never in danger of losing the top spot in the power rankings. The Crimson Tide better have used the bye week wisely, they will need everything they have when they head to Death Valley to take on LSU, this Saturday.